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One rider will float in a baked potato topped with butter and sour cream, a second will be at the front of the float in a banana split featuring two scoops of ice cream topped with whipped cream and cherries.

Two more students will ride on a pizza-pie paddle board topped with mozzarella and provolone cheeses, and Dunn will stand atop a gooey grilled cheese sandwich.

All of which are made out of millions of flowers.

Dunn learned just last month that he would be participating in this year’s float. The 21-year-old agriculture communications major at California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo said it was exciting to get a peek behind the scenes.

On Wednesday, he and the other contest winners visited the warehouse where the float was assembled.

To construct the float, workers cut various flower petals and used glue to secure them. Cotton seeds and full flowers were also used to create the final look.

All five riders are active participants in youth organizations, and look forward to future careers within the state’s dairy industry.

Dunn is a member of the California Junior Holstein Association, and plans to pursue a career in public relations or marketing.

Thanks to the California Milk Advisory Board, Dunn’s family will be able to join in on the festivities. His parents will be watching in the grandstand bleachers located at the start of the parade.

Cal Poly has had entries roll down Colorado Boulevard every year since 1949. They will join 40 other animated floats, including California Milk’s, each of which are decorated with more flowers than the average florist will use in five years. Eighteen marching bands and 19 equestrian units will join the floats.

Pasadena’s Tournament of Roses Parade is celebrating its 127th year in production. Award-winning film maker Ken Burns will serve as grand marshal.

The parade requires about 80,000 hours of combined manpower annually. Over 900 members of the non-profit Tournament of Roses Association work on different committees with responsibilities ranging from selecting participants to directing visitors on New Year’s day.

The parade was first created in 1890 and was to be an American version of the Festival of Roses in Nice, France.

“I’ve been to local parades, but nothing on this scale. I get to see the parade from a different perspective,” Dunn said.